Bill English on the Right Path to Relieve the Housing Crisis

Property Council applauds the Finance
Minister’s comments that central and local governments
must come together to better understand the property and
development sectors to rectify issues.

Bill English spoke
at a Property Council political forum in Auckland this
morning where he reiterated the need for in-depth
collaborative work to address New Zealand’s housing
crisis.

Mr English said the Government plans to engage in
dialogue with the property industry to encourage more
participation in property management and to benefit from the
sector’s experience in financial and operational risk
management.

The Minister pointed to the benefits of PPPs
in delivering high value at lower costs and importing
intellectual capital out of processes.

The Minister made
a timely reference to the ripple effect of local government
decisions throughout the country by what he called
“planning that is wilfully ignorant of economics and
cost.”

He cited onerous planning regulations which
would raise costs in the housing market, increase interest
rates and hold up the NZ dollar, detrimentally affecting
exporters and consequently impacting the whole economy.

Property Council strongly agrees with the Minister’s
statement to help better grow local economies by obtaining a
deeper understanding of regional issues.

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